Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 101

Nine Dragons Chronicle (101)

The Successor of Salhwang

It didn’t take long for news of a gambling den opening in Shanxi Province to spread throughout the Central Plains.

Those who came out of curiosity to see what a legitimate gambling den would be like were surprised by the cleanliness of the place, the variety of food, and the available entertainment.

In addition, they were surprised to find they could drink with the courtesans and even spend the night with them if they wished.

It was recognized not just as a gambling den, but as a playground for adults, and many people visited Gu Long Tower.

Sado Hyung, the leader of the Dark Sound Clan, spent ten days at Gu Long Tower enjoying the various forms of entertainment. He grew even greedier as he watched the enormous amount of money circulating and flowing into the Gu Long Lord’s pockets.

“Let’s go back and make a plan first. Before that, send a letter to the Blood Demon Sect.”

“What should I say?”

“Tell them to meet me.”

“Understood.”

Sado Hyung left Gu Long Tower with Sama Woo and returned to the Dark Sound Clan. Hyuk Ji-seok followed them until they were completely out of Sanyang County before returning to report to Hwa-rin.

“He’s gone back, but I think he has other plans.”

“Other plans?”

“I’m not sure, but his eyes were like those of a greedy child who wants something.”

“Your way of expressing yourself seems to be improving. If he’s like a child who wants something, he might ask his parents to buy it for him.”

“Are you saying he’ll get help from the Blood Oath Alliance?”

“I don’t know, but if he thinks it’ll be difficult to do it alone, he’ll look for a different sect rather than the Blood Oath Alliance.”

“Why do you think so?”

“If the Blood Oath Alliance gets involved, he might have his toy taken away by another child.”

Hyuk Ji-seok nodded at Hwa-rin’s words. He realized that the Blood Oath Alliance had more important sects than the Dark Sound Clan, and they could aim for the Gu Long Tower’s operating profits to appease them.

“Let’s just watch and see what they do. By the way, how’s the martial arts you’re learning? Is there anything I can help you with?”

“There are no difficulties yet.”

Hwa-rin realized that Hyuk Ji-seok was a natural talent for martial arts.

‘I went through trial and error several times to create those martial arts.’

He was learning them as if it was nothing, which was admirable.

“If you have any difficulties while learning, let me know.”

“I will, Lord. By the way, how many bodyguards are you planning to hire?”

“I was thinking about fifty at first, but the Gu Long Tower’s sales have increased more than I thought. I’m thinking of taking this opportunity to set up a small merchant group to supply the Gu Long Tower with food, daily necessities, and sundries [various small items].”

“That would be a way to reduce costs.”

“If we do that, we’ll have to create a security agency and hire guards. I think we’ll have to pick a few people from our manor to be the leaders, so I’m thinking of hiring about twenty more than I expected.”

“Twenty more?”

“I’m not going to use them all as leaders, but I have a feeling that if we start a security agency, we’ll have to start more businesses, so I thought it would be good to have them as reserves.”

“Ah, I see. I’ll pick out a few people with high-level martial arts skills to be the leaders.”

“Since we’re starting on a small scale, I think we only need about three people.”

“Understood.”

“And…”

“Lord, you have a visitor.”

As he was about to say more, he asked who it was when he heard that a guest had arrived.

“It’s your friend, Sado-joon, and his father.”

“Ah. Chief, I think we’ll have to talk later.”

“Understood. I’ll go back to Gu Long Tower and get to work.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Hyuk Ji-seok left Hwa-rin’s office and glanced at the two people standing outside.

‘Who are they?’

The father was impressive, but the son, a young man, also felt like a martial arts master he couldn’t fathom.

‘This is the first time I’ve felt this way since the Lord.’

Hyuk Ji-seok thought of Seo Dae-young, the chief manager.

‘I need to find out more about the Lord.’

After Hyuk Ji-seok left, two people came in: Sado-joon and his father, Sageun-sung, the Lord of Cheonsa Valley.

Sageun-sung bowed to Hwa-rin and opened his mouth without straightening his back.

“I heard something unbelievable from my son. Can you show me the proof?”

He held out his hands to Hwa-rin while bowing, and Hwa-rin placed Salhwang’s Dark Blood Ring in his hand.

Sageun-sung examined Salhwang’s Dark Blood Ring in that position and returned it to Hwa-rin.

Thump!

Then he knelt down and bowed his head to the floor.

“Sageun-sung, the Lord of Cheonsa Valley, greets the Successor of the Lord. I beg your forgiveness for daring to try to confirm the Successor of the Lord.”

“Get up. Your son is my friend. I’m uncomfortable with you kneeling like this. So get up and sit over here.”

Hwa-rin helped Sageun-sung up and sat him down himself, then gestured for Sado-joon to sit down and sat opposite them.

“I didn’t expect you to come and find me in person.”

“I thought this guy was naive and had been deceived by a con artist. I was going to cut off the head of anyone who impersonated the Lord, not just anyone.”

“I almost lost my head.”

“I’m sorry.”

To assassins, the name Salhwang was an object of reverence.

Although it had been more than a hundred years since he had been active, he was still a myth in the assassin world and reigned as the Lord of assassins.

“There’s nothing special about me being the Successor of the Master, so just think of me as a son like Do-joon and treat me like that.”

“I can’t do that. If I do, the assassins in the assassin world will criticize me and try to kill me. It’s the Successor’s will that he’s friends with this guy, so I can’t help it, but don’t force me to do that.”

Hwa-rin looked at Sado-joon at Sageun-sung’s firm appearance, and he shook his head slightly.

It was also a way of saying that he couldn’t do anything about his father’s firmness.

“Then do as you please, Father, but I’ll do as I please, so don’t force me to do anything.”

“I will.”

Hwa-rin decided to settle the relationship at this point and listened to the reason why the two had come to find him.

“So you’re saying that the Sword Demon of Massacre is acting like my Master?”

“Rather than acting like him, he’s trying to surpass Salhwang and erase Salhwang’s traces from the assassin world.”

“Erase the traces?”

“Yes. The Sword Demon of Massacre believes that his achievements are greater than Salhwang’s, and he’s forcing blind obedience on the assassin world.”

“Lee Hobup!”

When Hwa-rin called Lee Do-moon, he appeared next to Hwa-rin.

The two had felt an unknown sense of discomfort since entering the room, and they realized that the source of the discomfort was Lee Do-moon.

“Is it true?”

“It’s true, but it’s not really related to our side, so they didn’t come to threaten or intimidate us.”

“Ah, Father, this is the first time you’ve seen Lee Hobup, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Say hello to each other. Lee Hobup is also the Lord of Salmak Valley.”

“Salmak Valley is…”

“It’s a third-rate place that handles disputes arising from people’s lives.”

He said this, but after Salmak Valley came under Hwa-rin, it grew tremendously, and the assassins of Salmak Valley had reached a level where they could make quick judgments based on their superior martial arts, assassination skills, and adaptability to situations than the assassins of any other assassin sect. However, the assassin world was unaware of this fact.

‘He handles people’s lives, but he’s a strong man that I can’t easily dismiss.’

Sageun-sung couldn’t help but be nervous.

“What do you think, Lee Hobup? Do you think it’s better for that guy, the Sword Demon of Massacre, to exist, or is it better for him to disappear?”

“If there’s even one more strong person, it will be of great help to the Lord.”

Sageun-sung and Sado-joon were surprised by Hwa-rin’s words. The Sword Demon of Massacre was one of the Ten Great Masters of the Murim [martial arts world].

In other words, he was one of the greatest masters in the world, with no rivals in the Central Plains.

But they couldn’t help but be surprised that he was talking about his life and death so casually.

“And although he doesn’t measure up to the Lord, he has also contributed to protecting the assassin world. I don’t know what others think, but I think he deserves to be recognized and treated for his contributions.”

It was undeniable that the Sword Demon of Massacre had made it less likely that assassins would be despised and scorned by the Murim people.

“Then I can acknowledge him. He’s worked hard enough.”

“But I don’t think we can just let him erase Salhwang’s achievements.”

“Why, are the assassins going to be shaken up?”

“Yes. Salhwang is a person from a hundred years ago. Most of the assassins now were not even born when Salhwang was active, so they don’t know the greatness of Salhwang.”

“So you’re saying that if the Sword Demon of Massacre erases my Master’s traces, the assassins will recognize him as just another person?”

“That’s right. It’s the difference between hearing about something and actually seeing it with your own eyes.”

Hwa-rin agreed with Lee Do-moon’s words.

He seemed to have been a little complacent about Salhwang’s honor.

“Then I’ll have to meet him and cross swords with him.”

Lee Do-moon bowed his head.

“Lee Hobup, next month on the fifteenth, announce to all the assassin sects in the Central Plains that I will personally meet the Sword Demon of Massacre at Mount Ohdae in Shanxi Province to uphold my Master’s honor.”

“Will you meet him at the summit of Mount Ohdae?”

“Do we have to go all the way to the summit? Any suitable place will do. There must be bandits in Mount Ohdae, right?”

“There’s the Mount Ohdae camp of the Green Forest Bandits [a type of outlaw group].”

“Then do it there.”

“The Sword Demon of Massacre may not come.”

“That’s why you’re announcing it to the assassin sects in the Central Plains, right?”

If the Sword Demon of Massacre didn’t come to the meeting, it would mean that he was afraid of the Successor of Salhwang and was avoiding the meeting. If this rumor spread to the Central Plains, the Sword Demon of Massacre would no longer be able to brag about his greatness.

“So Lee Hobup must tell the leaders of the assassin sects to attend.”

Hwa-rin handed Lee Do-moon the Salhwang’s Dark Blood Ring.

“I accept the order.”

As Lee Do-moon disappeared from the spot, Sageun-sung and Sado-joon were surprised and tried to stop Hwa-rin.

“Don’t worry. Even if he’s one of the Ten Great Masters, my Master has been in the position of the Ten Great Masters since before and commanded the world.”

“Still, you’re being too reckless. The Sword Demon of Massacre is stronger than you think.”

“I’m also stronger than you think, Father. Can’t you tell by Lee Hobup’s actions?”

“Huh?”

“He also knows how strong the Sword Demon of Massacre, Baek Jeong-in, is. Nevertheless, he didn’t object to my order and moved to carry it out.”

“That means…”

“Isn’t it because Lee Hobup thinks I’m stronger than the Sword Demon of Massacre, or at least he’s sure that I won’t be defeated by him? If he thought I was weaker than him, Lee Hobup would have stepped in to stop me first.”

“Ah… then really…”

“Don’t worry. I’m not weak enough to be defeated by the Sword Demon of Massacre. At least Cheonma [Heavenly Demon], Sword Emperor, or Four Emperors would have to be at that level for me to back down, and if they’re not at that level, I’m not weak enough to be intimidated or back down.”

At Hwa-rin’s confidence, the two had to wonder whether to accept Hwa-rin’s words as fact or not.

“Have you eaten?”

“Not yet…”

“Then let’s go eat together. Let’s go with me to see Gu Long Tower.”